More strange people playing baseball

Posted at 11:40 AM on July 13, 2006
by Ben Tesch

Man, 83, is oldest pro baseball player
No one in the bleachers at the Sioux Falls Canaries game was quite sure what was going on down on the field. They were all quiet, wondering and transfixed on the little old man digging into the batters' box.

The infielders moved up on the grass, giggling, and pitcher looked as uncomfortable as anyone else would have felt.

But to 83-year-old Jim Eriotes, it was serious business.

Eriotes led off Tuesday's game for the Canaries against the St. Joe (Mo.) Blacksnakes and took four big swings — even fouling a pitch off — before striking out.

The at-bat made Eriotes the oldest man to ever play professional baseball. It was his only at-bat in the game.